Anne Hathaway breaks down in tears as she joins Donatella Versace and Tom Ford paying tribute to Valentino Garavani at his funeral in Rome following his death aged 93

Anne Hathaway was left in tears as she, Donatella Versace and Tom Ford cut sombre figures while leading the mourners paying tribute to Valentino Garavani at his funeral in Rome on Friday. 

The iconic fashion designer died on Monday aged ​93 ​’surrounded by his loved ones’ at his home in the Italian capital. 

Taking place at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs in Rome, celebrities set out to pay tribute to the much-loved designer. 

Amongst the first to arrive was Anne, 43, who met Valentino on the set of her hit film The Devil Wears Prada. He famously made a cameo as himself in the 2006 comedy during a Paris Fashion Week scene. 

Snaps from the service show the actress becoming emotional as she stood outside with other mourners.

Her teary-eyes were hidden from public view behind her black sunglasses. 

The actress was followed by Donatella, 70, and Tom, 64, as well as legendary Vogue editor and now Global CCO for Condé Nast, Anna Wintour, 76, as prominent figures in the fashion world said goodbye. 

Hundreds have already paid their respects to Valentino over the last two days as his body lay in state at Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome´s Piazza della Repubblica. 

Crowds lined the streets outside as a car arrived carrying a wooden coffin, with fashion fans holding up signs and white wreaths as well as a red rose floral arrangement placed on the road, in a nod to Valentino’s signature colour.

Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian set out to pay their respects, with Damian adding a touch of Valentino red to his outfit.  

The late designer famously championed the vibrant shade after debuting a poppy-red dress in his very first show in 1959.

He went on to use the bold hue frequently throughout his collections, with the colour quickly becoming synonymous with the Valentino brand. 

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, known mononymously as Valentino, dressed everyone from Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham to Princess Diana and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy throughout his incredible sixty year career.

He was renowned for his impeccable tailoring, glam gowns as well as the use signature shade of red,  now universally known as ‘Valentino red’.

Valentino’s foundation confirmed the tragic news in a statement on Monday. 

It read:’ The foundazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giametti announces the passing of its founder, Valentino Garvani, who peacefully passed away today at his residence in Tome, surrounded by his family’. 

‘The lying in state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday January 21st and Thursday January 22nd, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

It added: ‘The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11 am’. 

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born in 1932 just south of Milan in the small town of Voghera. 

His passion for fashion began as a young boy, and at age 17, he moved to Paris to study at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.

Throughout the 1950s, Valentino apprenticed for various Parisian couture houses,  before returning to Rome to launch his own brand with business and romantic partner Giancarlo Giammetti, 87.

The luxurious line with glamorous gowns quickly developed a loyal clientele, including Elizabeth Taylor, who became one of his first famous customers.

The company also entered the beauty marked in 1979 with the launch of its first fragrance, followed by a make-up line in 2021. 

Valentino and Giancarlo had a 12-year romantic relationship but that transitioned into one of ‘fraternal love’ and the pair became ‘blood brothers’.

Giancarlo told Vanity Fair in 2013:  ‘I was just 30 when the physical part of our relationship ended, and it was difficult in the beginning, we had to solve problems with jealousy’. 

‘But we’re all grown up—very grown up—and we know that time solves every problem. We’ve always wanted to be the best for the other. But, you know, from the beginning Valentino and I never lived together’.

Before adding: ‘That’s probably why your love for each other lasted.’ 

He sold the brand in 1998 for a whopping $300million before designing his last collection for the label and retiring in 2008.

He was briefly replaced by fellow Italian Alessandra Facchinetti, who had stepped into Tom Ford´s shoes at Gucci before being sacked after two seasons.

Facchinetti´s tenure at Valentino proved equally short. As early as her first show for the label, rumors swirled that she was already on her way out, and just about one year after she was hired, Facchinetti was indeed replaced by two longtime accessories designers at the brand, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli.

Chiuri left to helm Dior in 2016, and Piccioli continued to lead the house through a golden period that drew on the launch of the Rockstud pump with Chiuri and his own signature colour, a shade of fuchsia called Pink PP. 

He left the house in 2024, later joining Balenciaga, and has been replaced by Alessandro Michele, who revived Gucci´s stars with romantic, genderless styles.

Valentino is owned by Qatar´s Mayhoola, which controls a 70% stake, and the French luxury conglomerate Kering, which owns 30% with an option to take full control in 2028 or 2029. Richard Bellini was named CEO last September.

Valentino has been the subject of several retrospectives, including one at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, which is housed in a wing of Paris´ Louvre Museum. He was also the subject of a hit 2008 documentary, ‘Valentino: The Last Emperor,’ that chronicled the end of his career in fashion.

‘We left because the industry changed and meetings were all about money, not design. Sales forecasts decided what got created. The conglomerates made each label work to the same model’ Giancarlo told FT in 2023.

Speaking about his incredible career in Valentino: A Grand Italian Epic, which was published last year, the designer said: ‘I think I have succeeded because through all these decades I was always concerned about making beautiful clothes.

‘The grunge look, the messy look. I don’t care; I really don’t care. I cannot see women destroyed, not well combed or looking strange and stupid make-up and dresses that make the body look ridiculous’. 

‘I am not this kind of gentleman; I am not this kind of creator. I want to make a girl who, when she’s dressed and arrives in some place, people turn and say: “You look so sensational!” This is always what I did, what I really wanted to achieve all the time’.